Let Them Eat Cake, But Not At School

re: Let Them Eat Cake, But Not At School

whiteladyteaching — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:57:58 GMT

There are a million and one ways that teachers loose instructional time! The sub and snow days have to happen, then a kid pukes, there goes half an hour or so messing with that. Then there is a speaker, a behavior initiative, a mandatory eye and ear test. It goes on and on and on and then the teacher gets told, "Why didn't your kids pass the test, we had 180 days to teach them!" I definitely see where you are coming from, it is just a stupid cupcake. But the instructional time is more of a valid excuse when you are in there getting interupted daily. This is of course a childless teacher perspective, but the fight for instructional time is insane.

re: Let Them Eat Cake, But Not At School

JeanneSager — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 17:24:18 GMT

I guess when my daughter starts "real" school (as opposed to nursery school), I might change my mind on some of these issues too . . . but I'm still a bit of a cupcake mom!

re: Let Them Eat Cake, But Not At School

Madeline Holler — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 16:44:25 GMT

Plus, you're forgetting about the holiday parties -- Halloween, Valentine's, "winter," "spring," etc. That adds up to a lot of hours and distraction. AND! Tons and tons of crap.

Sure, I loved the birthday celebrations as a kid. But then it was just a regular ol' cupcake. Now some parents bring in trays of stuff from Costco -- cupcakes the size of your child's head! -- plus the ubiquitous gift bad (which always includes some more crap to eat) and it's totally too much. Especially if your kid's school has some kind of healthy eating initiative. Save it for the actual b-day party (and be nice and invite the whole class!)

I used to be appalled at these bans but now, with a second-grader, I'm over it and so all for them.

re: Let Them Eat Cake, But Not At School

MomofBeans — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:27:26 GMT

My daughter has severe food allergies to dairy, peanuts, egg, and soy. She's only 13 months, but there have already been two birthday parties at her daycare where she was not able to partake of the treats (which happened to be cupcakes). Luckily, the teacher told me days in advance, so I had time to whip up some little allergy-friendly banana cakes for her. I made cupcakes for her own birthday, and they were also allergy-friendly. I do feel like she will be left out in the future, though, if no one gives me a heads-up.

re: Let Them Eat Cake, But Not At School

leahsmom — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:17:35 GMT

I see what you're saying - but I am not sure the in-school party is the remedy for left-out kids feeling left out. I was not one of the popular girls, and I always knew it, from a very young age at school. No amount of activity that we all did together changed that awareness. Also, as a diabetic kid, back before they had such fast-acting insulin as they do nowadays, I couldn't partake in cupcakes and cakes - there are enough food issues (glueten/allergies) today that it seems likely a kid will still be left out. I'm not really behind the ban - I just don't think it really makes a difference to a kid who feels left out. (But that's just my own experience, YMMV).

re: Let Them Eat Cake, But Not At School

Kris Schluer — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 14:54:01 GMT

I always felt sad for my one neice because her birthday was in the summer and she didn't get to bring her moms fantastic cupcakes to school for a party. My sis spoke to her teacher and asked if she could send in cupcakes and have the class celebrate her birthday during the school year and the teacher had no problem with it. Her only problem then was having to make a summer birthday party for her other daughter who's birthday was in January. After all, that daughter had had plenty of school birthday parties but never had a party with all her friends playing outside during the summer months.